This month, I wanted to share a spring/summer classic that is very quick and easy and sure to be a hit – smashburgers. They are super quick to make, so flavorful and you can make them at home on a pan or griddle for a fraction of the cost of a Five Guys, Smashburger, Shake Shack, etc.
These are great when cooking for a crowd with a limited amount of time to cook and, also, it only takes around 6-8 minutes total. You only need a few ingredients, but you can obviously tweak it to your liking and add anything on them! I love using the Snake River Farms American Wagyu ground beef from Harris Teeter for this – it’s only about $10 and so so good!
Ingredients (to serve two double smashburgers or four single burgers):
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20, American wagyu, whatever you like.)
- Hamburger buns (or eat it on a lettuce bun if you’re watching carbs) – I prefer brioche
- 4 slices of preferred cheese
- Cooking oil
- Seasoning of choice (I always use a salt, pepper and garlic seasoning – Meat Church Holy Cow is my favorite for a burger)
- Any other burger toppings you desire (I like adding a slice of bacon, some hatch chiles, butter lettuce and tomato)
Instructions:
- Heat your griddle (or cooking pan) to medium/medium-high heat.
- Unpackage your ground beef and roll it into four evenly sized balls.
- Once the cooking surface is hot, place the meat onto the surface and then place a piece of parchment paper on top, and press down on the meat with a burger press (or spatula, whatever works).
- Make sure you smash it all the way down to get it very thin and evenly thick.
- Season the (smashed) burger patty.
- Let cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip the burger and immediately top with cheese.
- At this step, if you’re using a griddle/blackstone and have the space to toast buns, you can butter them up and toast your buns while the cheese melts, or you can just toast them in the oven.
- Let cook for another 3-4 minutes until the cheese is fully melted.
- Pull them off, place on the buns and add the rest of your favorite burger toppings!
